Apparatus for handling printing-cylinders.



No. 637,579. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. HETT.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTING CYLINDERS.

(Application filed June 13, 1895. Renewed July 12. 1898.)

(No llodel.) 2 Shasta-Sheet 1n: uoams Perms op. PNOIO-LITNQ. WASNXNGTON. n. c.

No. 637,579. Patented Nov. 2|, I899. E. HETT.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTING CYLINDERS.

(Application filed Jana 13, 1895. Renewed Juli 12, 1898.)

(Na Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HETT, or N EW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PR|NTlNG -CYLINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,579, dated November 21, 1899. Application filed June 13, 1895. Renewed .TnlylZ, 1898. Serial No. 685,764. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD HETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (New Dorp,) in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Handling Printing-Cylinders, of which the following is a specification.

The in vcntion has special reference to printing and transfer presses in which the printing surface or form or the support therefor is a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell which for use is slipped onto the permanent shaft of the machine and is fixed to the same and revolves in use with said permanent shaft. T

The invention isin the nature of an adjunct to such a press,and has for its object the ready and convenient handling of such tubular printing or lithographic surfaces or such tubularform-cylinders and the introduction of the same into and the removal of the same from operative position in the press.

The invention consists of the devices herein shown and claimed.

In the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof, Figure 1 is a view, partly sectional, of an apparatus embodying my invenvention shown in connection with the adjacent parts of apress; and Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. I p

In the preferred form of my invention shown in the'drawings I employ means for moving the permanent shaft, carrying an inner tubular form-cylinder and an outer printing-tube out of its operative position in the press sufiiciently to permit of the ready removal from it or the placing upon it of a printing-tube or the inner supporting form-cylin-- der therefor. Referring to the specific form of apparatus shown in the drawings for this purpose, A A are two brackets pendent from the ceiling, carrying the driving-shaft B of a hoisting apparatus. The brackets are suitably placed over the press, or they may in any desired way be framed together and caused to run upon an overhead railway, so as to be movable from one part of the shop to another. The shaft B. carries a pulley C, from which it receives motion in either directiop, and beveled, gear-wheels D D,which mesh with correed on upright screw-shafts F F, carried in the brackets A A. Screw threaded nuts G G travel up and down on the screw-shafts F as the latter are rotated in one direction or the other. These traveling nuts G carry hoisting-arms H, which slide up and down in suitable grooves in the brackets A and the lower portions of which, I, are hinged to the upper portions, so that they may be swung up out of the way. The bolts J J fasten the arms I in their lowest position. These arms I carry at their lower ends a divided collar K, the fixed and the movable parts of the collar being suitably hinged at one side and capable of being suitably fastened together at the other side, the special means forholding them together shown in the drawings consisting of a split screw-bolt at the side of the collar, formed partly by the fixed part and partly by the movable part of the collar, onto which bolt when its parts are united the nut L screws. 1These collars K are adapted to inclose the permanent shaft of the press at or near its ends, so that when suitably inclosing or grasp ing the ends of said shaft and when the shaft and its connected parts are loosened from the press the revolving of the pulley O in the proper direction will raise the entire perma nent shaft, together with its encircling formcylinder and printing-tube or other tubular ,covering or shell that may be upon it. Thelpermanent shaft of the machine is lettered M in the drawings. It is there shown in its raised position, the dotted lines indicating its position when lowered onto the press for its normal operation in use there.

N is the printing-tube, which in use is an outer tubular covering or shell carried upon an inner tubular shell or form-cylinder O. The printing-tube N is in the case supposed removable from the form-cylinder, and the latter is also removable from the permanent shaft.

The specific form of devices shown in the drawings for enabling a printing-tube or formcylinder to be removed from 'or to beplaced upon a permanent shaft areas follows:

P is a receiving-shaft. It is mounted'on a standard orframe Q at proper height to be exactly opposite the permanent shaft M when the latter is in its raised position and so that spondingly-beveled gear-wheels E E, mountwhen the two shafts are united end to end N; This 'printing tube holder T has an inner tube snugly fitting the receiving-shaft P, so,, as tobe readily slipped on'and of of the same.

Y This inner tube carries two holders, one near seated in the top of that standard. This re ceiving-shaftP has suitable clutch mechanism S, adapting it to be firmly clutched to the permanent shaft M at one .endofthe same: In the drawings this receiving-shaft P is represented ascarrying a printing-tube holder T and thelatter as carrying a printing-tube each end, adapted to slip inside'theprintingtube and hold it. The printing-tube holder is longer than the printing-tube, the extensionof its 'innertube at each end furnishing vhandles convenient for handling the whole when the printing-tube is on it.

. The drawings {represent the permanent shaft of the press as having been grasped and raised from. its operative position in'the press and the parts at one end beyond where it is grasped-as having been slipped off, the re-' ceiving-shaft as having had a printing-tube holder'mounted upon it and as having then been swung around toward the end of the raised permanentish'aft and its end clutched with the said end .of the permanent shaft, thehinged-hoisting-arm I as having been swung" up out of the way, the printing-tube as having been then slipped along the composite shaftM P from the form-cylinder 0 onto the printing-tube holder T, and the arm I as having been again lowered and its collar again fastened around' the shaftM. The next step in the use of the apparatus is to unclutch the treated, as desired.

two shafts M and P and to swing theshaft P- around on the pivot R, and the printing-tube holder T, with the printing-tube 'N upon it, may then be removed and stored or otherwise another and different printing-tube on the form-cylinder O, that printing-tube on .its proper printing-tube holder is slipped onto the receiving-shaft P, that shaft is swung,

- around into engagement with the shaft M, the

clutched, the-permanent shaft M receives the hinged arm I of the intermediate hoisting-arm is swung up from the permanent shaft, as before, the printing-tube is slipped along the composite shaft from one holder, T, tothe necessary parts thathad been removedfrom it and is then lowered into operative'position in the press and secured there, and both-the arms I are unfastened from it and up out of the way.

The special printing-tube holder T that is} shown is light in construction and possesses certain'advantages. The two holders'hold and support the printing-tube and are them-'- selves heldby the long inner tube which I snugly-fits the; receiving-shaft P, and for a If it be desired toplace' are .then un--- screwed permanent hold-ing of which shafts similar to P, but permanently mounted, maybe employed. Printing-tubes can thus be conven iently stored and preserved from damage and .by means of the pivotedreceiving-shaft P can be conveniently and safely handled. The greater-length of the innertube of the printing-tube holder T, over that of theprinting-tubeitself furnishes projecting parts at each end that may be used as handles and generally in manipulating the holder. The standard Q, carrying the pivotally-mounted receiving-Shafhmay'be movableas for instance, it maybe mounted on a railway or simply on wheels. The receiving-shaft P may be in any suitable waycounterbalanced on the standard Q and variably counterbalanced u'nder'the-var'ying conditions of the load that :not necessarily or in all cases be'pivotally mounted, although I prefer that construction. It should be so mounted,however, asto the machine in one of the positions-of the latter under the action of the hoisting'apparams and to be removable or unclutchable therefrom, according to the operation desired.

inder 0 from the permanent shaftM of the press, the printing-tube holder T would be simply removed from the receiving-shaft P, and that receiving-shaft would then be coupled up with the permanent shaft M, one of the arms I raised, and the entire form-cylinder slipped along the composite shaft M P;-

. v For the purposes of the broad claims herein made the permanent shaft of the machine would be the actual shaft proper or that shaft together with so much of a-covering or shell vcarried upon it as was not p'urp'osed .to be slipped off, but was purposed to be kept on the shaft, and the receiving-shaft might manifestly be not a shaft. proper, but a frame, for instance, of a diameter correchine that it was not purposed' to slip ofi and .fitting itto receive the part V-that it was purposed to slip 01f. 1 Y 1 Where it is necessary tov move a permanent shaft outof its operative position in the press in order to permit of the removal therefrom or the placing thereupon of} a printing-tube or supporting form-cylinder, I prefer touse thedevices shown anddescribed as used for that purpose, although of course any other suitable devices-for this purpose may be employed without departing from my invention. What I claim as new, and desire to secure byLettersPatent, is 1. The combination, substantially as described, of a'hoistingmecha-nism having hoisting-arms and means adapting them to be permanent shaftof a machine,andi a separate, receiving-shaft suitably mountedfand, means adapting it to be temporarily secgured to, and

so as to prolong, the permanent shaft at one it carries. Again, the receiving-shaft'P need be clutched With the permanent shaft M' of If it were desired toremovethe form-cyl-' raised or lowered as-desired andftto' carrya 3 sponding to the part of the permanent maof its ends but removable from said permanent shaft, whereby a hollow cylinder on the permanent shaft of the machine or any tubular covering or shell thereon may first be raised with the permanent shaft and then slipped off from said shaft onto the separate receiving-shaft and removed, or a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell may be put onto the separate receiving-shaft and then slipped off from it onto the permanent shaft and the latter then lowered into operative position in the machine.

2. The combination, substantially as described,with the form-cylinder of a press having separable tubular printing-surfaces, of a hoisting mechanism having hoisting.- arms and means adapting them to be raised or lowered as desired and to carry the form-cylinder, and a separate receiving-shaft and a removable printing-tube holder carried thereon, the receiving-shaft being suitably mounted and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, and so as to prolong, the shaft of the formcylinder atone of its ends but removable from said shaft, whereby tubular printing-surfaces may be placed upon or removed from the formcylinder.

3. The combination, substantially as described, with a press having a shaft carrying a separable hollow cylinder, tubular covering or shell, of a screw hoisting mechanism having hoisting-arms and means adapting them to be raised or lowered as desired,and to carry the said shaft, and a separate receiving-shaft suitably mounted and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, and so as to prolong, the shaft of the press at one of its ends, but removable therefrom.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of a hoisting mechanism having hoisting-arms and means adapting them to be raised or lowered as desired, and to carry a permanent shaft of a machine, and a separate receivingshaft pivotally mounted upon a suitable stand and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, and so as to prolong, the permanent shaft at one of its ends, but removable therefrom.

5. The combination, substantially as described, with the form-cylinder of a press having separable tubular printing-surfaces, of a hoisting mechanism havinghoisting-arms and means for adapting them to be raised or lowered as desired and to carry the formcylinder, and a separate receiving-shaft and a removable printing-tube holder carried thereon, the receiving-shaft being pivotally mounted upon a suitable stand and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, and so as to prolong, the shaft of the form-cylinder at one of its ends but removable from said shaft, whereby tubular printing-surfaces may be placed upon or removed from the form-cylinder.

6. The combination, substantially as depermanent shaft of a machine, and a separate receiving-shaft pivotally mounted upon a suitable stand and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, and so as to prolong the permanent shaft at one of its ends but removable therefrom.

7. The combination with a removable hollow printingtube N, and a suitable receivingshaft P, of a printing-tube holder T having two holders fitted to receive and removably hold the hollow printing-tube and having also an inner tube carrying the said two holders and fitted to slip onto and be removably held on the receivingshaft, said inner tube being prolonged at its ends to form holding or grasping devices, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a press of a permanent shaft adapted to carry a hollow tubular printing form or tube or support therefor, a separate receiving-shaft suitably mounted and arranged to be moved into and be held in fixed alinement with the permanent shaft and to be moved therefrom, and means for moving it into and holding it in such alinement and moving it therefrom, whereby a hollow cylinder on the permanent shaft of the press or any tubular covering or shell thereon may be slipped off from said shaft onto the separate receiving-shaft and be removed or a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell may be put onto the separate receiving-shaft and be then slipped off from it onto the permanent shaft.

9. The combination in a press of a permanent shaft adapted to carrya hollow tubular printing form or tube or support therefor, a separate receiving-shaft suitably mounted, and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, so as to prolong, the permanent shaft at one of its ends but removable from said permanent shaft, whereby a hollow cylinder on the permanent shaft of the press or any tubular covering or shell thereon may be slipped off from said shaft onto the separate receiving-shaft and be removed, or a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell may be put onto the separate receiving-shaft and be then slipped off from it onto the permanent shaft.

10. The combination in a press of a permanent shaft adapted to carry a hollow tubular printing form or tube or support therefor, a separate receiving-shaft pivotally mounted upon a suitable stand, and means adapting it to be temporarily secured to, so as to prolong, the permanent shaft at one of its ends but removable from said permanent shaft, whereby a hollow cylinder on the permanent shaft of the press or any tubular covering or shell thereon may be slipped off from said shaft onto the separate receiving-shaft and be removed, or a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell may be put onto the separate receiving-shaft and be then slipped off from it onto the permanent shaft.

11. The combination in a press of a permanent shaft adapted to carrya hollow tubular IIO 3o rate receiving-shaft and be then slipped 01f 1' l' camera printing form or tube or support therefor,'a-

separate receiving-shaft and a removable printing-tube holder carried thereon, the re-' ceiving-shaft being pivotally mounted upon a suitable stand, and means adapting it to'be temporarily-secured to, and so as to prolong, the shaft of the form-cylinder at one of'its ends but removable from said shaft, whereby tubular printing-surfaces may be placed upon or removedfrom the, form-cylinder.

12. The combination in a press of a perma- -nent shaft adapted to carry a hollow tubular,

printing form or tube or support therefor,

means for moving said permanent shaft out of its operative position in the press sufficiently to permit of the removal fromit of the tubular printing formor tube or support therefor, a separate receiving-shaft suitably mounted and arranged to be moved into and I be held in fixed alinement withrthe perma-' nent shaft when the latter is in its outward position, and to be moved therefrom, and

means for moving it into and holding it in such alinement and moving it therefrom, whereby a hollow cylinder on the permanent shaft of the press or an y tubular covering-or shell thereonmay be slipped 0% from said shaft. onto theseparate receiving-shaft and.

be removed, or a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell may be putonto the sepa-' from it onto the permanentshaft. v

13. The combination in a press of a permanent-shaft adapted to carry a hollow tubular printing form or tube,'means for movingsaid permanent shaft out of its operative position in the press sufficiently to permit of the revmoval from it of the tubular printing form or tube, a separate receiving-shaft suitably mounted and arranged to be moved into and to be held in, fixed alinement with the permanent shaft when the latter is in its outward position and to be moved therefrom, a

removable printing-tube holder carried thereon, and means for moving the-separate receiving-shaft into and holding it in such alinement and for moving it therefrom, wherebya hollow tubular printing. form or. tube may be slipped 0E from the permanent shaft onto the removable'printing-tube holder and be removedor a hollow tubular printing form or tube may be placed upon the removable printing-tube holder and the separate receiving-shaft- -and then he slipped off from them onto the permanent shaft.

14.1The combinationina press of a permanentshaft adaptedto carry a hollow tubular printing form or tube, means for moving said permanent shaft out of its operative position in the press sufficientlyto permit of the removalfrom it'of the tubular printingform or tube, a separate receiving-shaft pivotally mounted upon a suitable, stand so as to be adapted to be moved into and to beheld in, fixed alinement with the permanent shaft when the latter is inits outward positionand to be'moved therefrom, a. removable printingtube holder carried thereon, and means for moving the separate receiving-shaft into and holding it in such alinement and forgmoving it therefrom, whereby a hollow tubularprinting form or tube may beslipped 01f from'the permanent shaft onto the removable printingtube holder and be removed or a hollow tubularpri-nting form or tube may be placed upon the removable printing-tube holder and theseparate receivingshaft and'.then be slipped off from them onto the permanent shaft.

"15. Thecombin'ation in a press, of a shaft adapted to carry a hollow printing-form or support therefor, a separate receiving-shaft suitablymounted and adapted to bemoved into fixed alinement with the first-mentioned shaft and to be moved therefrom and means for so moving it, whereby a hollow printingform or support therefor maybe slipped off from one shaft onto the other and so be removed from or be placed in the press.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y EDWARD 'HETT.

; Witnesses: 7

,CHARLES S. MILLER, ALFRED B. CARHART. 

